


Twelve Easy Steps

by Lady_Ganesh



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-06-30
Updated: 2009-06-30
Packaged: 2017-10-03 14:16:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ganesh/pseuds/Lady_Ganesh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The prompt was: <em>Iruka notices that Kakashi has taken to reading "How To Seduce A Teacher In 12 Easy Steps." </em>That pretty much covers it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twelve Easy Steps

1\. _Teachers often feel overworked, underpaid, and underappreciated. A few words to send the message you recognize their challenges is often the place to start!_

Iruka was sliding into the ramen stand as Kakashi was leaving, but the Copy Ninja stopped for a moment. "Long day?"

Iruka sighed. "Yeah," he confessed.

"I don't know how you stand it," Kakashi said. "I was ready to strangle three after the second day."

"You need to be prepared," Iruka said, grinning at him. "Not all of us have the option of flunking our charges at will."

"Fair enough," Kakashi conceded. "Hang in there."

 

2\. _Did we mention underpaid?_

Two nights later at Ichiraku Ramen, Iruka reached for his wallet only to have Ichiraku's pretty daughter shake her head. "Sorry, that's been paid for already, Iruka-sensei."

"But--" A grateful student? Possible bribe?

"Sorry," Ichiraku said, winking at him. "I've been sworn to secrecy. Think you've got a secret admirer."

It was kind of cute. Brightened his day a little.

The next day, though, he discovered his rent had been paid too. "It was under the door," his landlady told him. "Thought it was you."

Iruka wasn't quite sure how he felt about _that._

 

3\. _Remember to let the object of your desire know she or he has your interest, even if it's 'as a friend.' Note: Important for ninja, who may be so used to stealth that such steps may seem awkward._

Kakashi stared at the page. Why was he reading this crap? He'd known Iruka for years. Well, seen him at the Hokage's desk at any rate, and when Iruka had stood up at the desk and _yelled_ at him and the others, he'd felt like he'd known him forever.

Kakashi could skip that one. He was sure of it.

 

4\. _Teachers are more than their classwork! They have their own lives, interests and hobbies. Paying attention to what makes them unique will make your courtship stand out from the rest._

"The rest?" Kakashi murmured, narrowing his eyes. The thought of _competition_....

Certainly, Iruka was attractive. Spirited. But you had to look a bit to see it. He'd only noticed when....

There'd been quite a crowd there. Gai, Asuma, Kurenai....

He considered. This could be a problem. Still, Gai would not be subtle in his approach, and Asuma and Kurenai...

Still. It was time to get moving.

 

5\. _Remember, you must carefully choose the right time to reveal your true intentions. A single miscalculation could well--_

"Interesting book," Iruka said, sliding beside Kakashi at Ichiraku Ramen.

Kakashi's blood froze. Normally, people didn't comment on his choice of reading: "Come Come Paradise" was popular enough to not be noted. But there was something in Iruka's tone that indicated Iruka wasn't just making conversation; and that Iruka had realized there was another, slender book tucked behind "Come Come Paradise"'s garishly entertaining cover.

"You know," Iruka said conversationally, "there's a fine line between courtship and stalking. At least that's what my mother always said."

Kakashi watched him. He didn't seem angry, exactly. Not _pleased._ More annoyed.

"Is there a step about _talking_ to me?"

"I haven't gotten there yet," he confessed. "And who takes relationship advice from a book, anyway? I was just...brainstorming."

 

Iruka didn't believe a word he said. Iruka shoved a month's worth of rent money at him, insisted on paying for dinner, subjected him to a fifteen-minute lecture on how _not_ to show you're attracted to someone and a twenty-minute lecture on the fact that Iruka Umino was neither poor nor _desperate,_ thank you very much. And then he pulled Kakashi's mask down and kissed him, which, Kakashi had to admit, made the previous thirty-five minutes well worth the yelling. Iruka didn't work much in the field, but his body was still lean and muscular under his clothes, and his touch on the back of Kakashi's neck was just demanding enough. Iruka smelled like wheat and tasted like Kohana's best ramen, and Kakashi pulled him closer, wanting more, wanting skin, wanting _now._

When they broke for breath, Kakashi reached out, let his fingers brush Iruka's chin. "Would you like to--"

"Dinner tomorrow," Iruka announced, turning and walking away. "You're paying this time. Somewhere other than ramen."

"Of course," Kakashi said. "Should we meet here?"

"That's fine," he heard from Iruka's retreating back. "Seven?"

"Yes." He hoped Iruka wouldn't expect him to be on time.


End file.
